Knob and escutcheon assembly



Aug. 20, 1957 A. B. zloN KNOB AND EscuTcHEoN ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 7, 1955 United States Patent O 2,803,482 KNOB AND ESCUTCHEON ASSEMBLY Alfred Bernard Zion, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application November 7, 1955, Serial No. 545,446 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-347) This invention relates to an improved, self-aligning knob and escutcheon assembly; more particularly to a knob and escutcheon assembly utilizing knobs made from glass, porcelain and plastic type compositions and still more particularly to a spindle operable knob and escutcheon assembly for a cylindrical latch.

It is an object of my invention to provide a knob and escutcheon assembly wherein the knob retaining shank is rotatably secured within the escutcheon bearing, with a predetermined amount of play relative to the escutcheon.

The invention has for its object the provision of a knob construction having the additional advantages of being stronger and more resistant to wear than comparable structures now in the market, and of retaining the above advantages while allowing the use in the invention of comparatively cheap, low grade alloys.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, l make reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal plan view of a knob assembly in a door frame with portions partly in section to show details;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 2 2 or" Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 4a is a fragmentary view of a portion of the knob shank at an intermediate point of manufacture.

In the drawings, the knob and escutcheon assembly is illustrated in the form of a latch casing 2, mounted in a boring 3 of a door 4, projecting a latch bolt 5 edgewise into the frame strike 6. The latch casing 2 is coupled to a retractor extending in the cross boring 7 and is operable by a floating spindle 8, extending through the hub 9, connected with retractor mechanism (not shown).

The casing 2 has the extension 1t) engaging the spacer housing 11 at a slotted portion 12. Forwardly, the housing 11 has edge portions 13, 13 engaging the edges of the latch casing 2 to provide an inter-connection of the latch casing 2 and the spacer housing 11.

The spacer housing 11 is extended at one side to provide a rose plate coupling 14 and a rose plate covering 15. The spacer housing is integrally formed with sleeves 16, 16 which are screw-threaded to receive the bolts 17 extending through the escutcheon assembly C including rose cover 18 and the rose plate 19.

My invention has as its object to assemble with the escutcheon assemblies 14, 15, 13 and 19, knob actuation for theV spindle 8 which may eiiminate any positive set screw coupling between the spindle 8 and the knob assembly whereby a variety of knobs may be employed to provide an ornamental knob assembly including nonmetallic knobs, of which glass and ceramic materials are examples.

In theY illustration, the knob assembly comprises a knob A and a shank cup B, and the previously described escutcheon assemblyV C.

The knob A illustrated is of transparent glass, ornamentally faceted and having a central cavity 20 lined with mirrored material, such as foil 21. The knob is molded'` to provide a flange 22 peripherally bitted at 23 to providea shoulder 24 and an annulus 25. The knob may Patented Aug. 20, 1957 be coupled to the shank cup B frictionally. In the preferred form of my invention, the shank cup B has a knob holding cup 26 outlining a shoulder 27, arranged to receive a spring washer 28. The shank cup has a shank neck 29 into which there is iitted the insert 30. The insert 30 is axially formed with a keyed aperture 31 to receive the correspondingly shaped spindle 8, previously described.

The insert, adjacent one end, is formed with a ange 32, having a shoulder 33 overlapping the shoulder 27 of the cup. The opposite end of the insert has a shoulder portion 34 to one side of a neck 35, which will be described in greater detail as this description proceeds.

The insert 30 is projected into the shank piece B to have the shoulder 33 engage the spring washer 28. The

flange 22 of the knob A is then positioned within the still unformed free edge 36 of the cup 26, thereby providing an assembly in which the ange 22 temporarily rests on the shoulder 32, which rests on the washer 28 held on the shoulder 27, as previously outlined. The shank neck 29 has an inwardly directed iiange 37, towards which the insert is directed, whereupon the shoulder 36 is turned inwardly by suitable means such as spinning, thereby frictionally and resiliently engaging the flange 22, the shoulder 32 and the washer 28 against relative movement to each other and the shoulder 27, yet avoiding any strained condition of the non-metallic knob. The iiange 37 extending beyond the shoulder 34 also forms an end thrust bearing on the exterior face, as will be described hereinafter.

With the parts thus assembled, I refer to the neck portion 35 which is formed with a tubular neck portion 38 having an internal cylindrical surface and outlining a shoulder 39 externally, the cylindrical portion being extended to one side of the square keyed aperture 31. The knob and shank thus provided is thereupon joined to the rose plate and rose cover 18 and 19, previously described. The rose plate consists of a metal stamping, preferably steel or other good bearing material, having an axially extended boss 40, including an inwardly directed ange 41, terminating in a downwardly directed bead 42, outlining the axial bearing aperture 43. The rose plate, at its peripheral portion, is formed with a bead 44 and isV arranged to receive the rose cover 18 by crimping or otherwise forming the peripheral portion 46 thereof.

The rose cover is formed with an axially positioned opening 47 to receive the shank assembly 29, previously es-cribed, in a position to overlap the underlying rose plate also formed with an opening to bring the bearing portion 37 into engagement with the outer face 48 of the rose plate about the bearing vaperture 43. 1n this position, the insert 30 is then extended to project into the bearing aperture 43. In this position, the 'bearing keeper washer 49 is sleeved on the tubular neck portion 38 to abut the shoulder 39 and to overlap the beaded bearing portionV 41 of the rose plate, whereupon the tubular neck portion 38 is spun outwardly from the wall 5) to form the locking ange 51 and non-rotatably jam said keeper washer to the neck portion 38. It will be observed that the relative Spacing of the shoulders 34 and 39 from each other is calculated to embrace the bearing bead 42 of the rose plate, rotationally to mount the knob and escutcheon to each other, providing adequate strength and at the same time assuring enough play or tolerance to allow for some degree of misalignment of the axes of the relatively movable parts, particularly when the units are fitted upon the spindle of the latch mechanism on the door.

It will be observed that while there has been described a union of the rose plate with the insert -for one knob and escutcheon assembly, the same type of connection is employed in completing the assembly of the escutcheon carrying the casing 11 and its corresponding knob asescutcheon orifice.

sembly. It will -be understood that identical parts bearAY identical reference characters.

The novelty providing new and unobvious advantages onf-the above described construction over the type of screwless knob assembly commonly in use are readily recognized when the two are compared. In the common construction a knob containing shank is passed through an escutcheon bearing until a shoulder on the shank 'bears against the outside surface of the bearing. A washer is then placed over the portion of the shank extending within the escutcheon, and this shank portion spun outward, locking the knob shank assembly within the Such a construction has the disadvantage of requiring extreme criticality in the iinal spinning operation, as the application of too much pressure would result in a knob assembly not freely rotatable within the escutcheon while, conversely, the application of too littlerpressure would leave too much play in the knob and escutcheon assembly.

' A further disadvantage resultant if too little pressure is applied during the spinning operation is that the retaining washer is rotatable relative to the turned portion of the shank, and the latter will thus act as a vbearing surface during rotation of the knob.

i To have the spun portion of the insert act as a bearing surface is obviously disadvantageous since spinning has a tendency to crystallize low grade alloys, and using such crystallized portions as bearing surfaces results in the further weakening of the crystallized portions. The use of non-crystallizing metals to form the knob shank would Vgreatly increase the cost of the knob assembly.v

It may be readily recognized that my invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a structure wherein the amount of play in the nal assembly is independent of the pressure applied in the nal spinning operation. Furthermore, t-he structure may be -constructed of low grade alloys since theV spun portion does not act as a bearing surface.

Having thus described my invention 'and illustrated its use, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A knob and escutcheon assembly for actuation of a latch spindle, said assembly including a shank, a knob retaining cup rat one end ot said shank, an insert retained in said shank, a tubular neck portion extending to one side of said insert `and a spindle engaging portion within said insert, an escutcheon having a bearing through which said neck extends, the inner surface of said escutcheon having va raised, beaded portion surrounding said bearing forming a face bearing portion, -a keeper comprising a washer aiixed to a shoulder portion formed on said neck portion and spun over said washer against said last shoulder portion, said keeper rotatably bearing against said beaded portion on said escutcheon, said knob shank in xed spaced relation to said keeper, said shoulder rotatably engaging said escutcheon bearing lat a position `opposed to said keeper engaging portion.

2. A knob and escutcheon assembly for actuation of a latch spindle, said assembly including a shank, a knob retaining cup at one end of said shank, yan insert retained in said shank, a tubular neck portion extending to one Y side of said insert and a spindle engaging portion Within said insert, said insert comprising -a malleable metal, an escutcheon having a bearing through which said neck extends, the inner surface of said escutcheon having a friction reducing portion surrounding said bearing, a keeper comprising a bearing Washer afiixed to `a'shoulder porkeeper engaging portion, a shoulder adjacent one end of said insert, said knob shank having at the base of said cup portion a shoulder corresponding land opposed to `said insert shoulder, a spring washer separating said insert shoulderfrom said knob shank shoulder, 'a knob having adjacent one end an annular recession and `a shoulder portion at said end of said knob, the upper edge of said knob retaining cup having a flanged portion engaging said shoulder at said knob and holding the end portion of said knob in resilient frictional contact against the end portion of said insert, said frictional contact being of a magnitude suiicient to hold said insert, knob and washer against rotation relative to said knob shank.

3. A knob and escutcheon assembly for actuation of a latch spindle, said assembly including a shank, a knob retaining cup at one end of said shank, an insert retained in said shank, a tubular neck portion extending to one side of said insert and a spindle engaging portion within said insert, said insert comprising a malleable metal, an escutcheon having a bearing through which said neck extends, the inner surface of. said escutcheon having a friction reducing portion surrounding said bearing, a keeper comprising a bearing washer atiixed to a shoulder portion formed on saidY neck portion, said keeper rotatably bearing against said friction reducing portion on said escutcheon, a shoulder on said knob shank in fixed spaced relation to said keeper, said shoulder rotatably engaging said escutcheon bearing at a position opposed to said keep- Ver engaging portion, a shoulder adjacent one end of said insert, said knob shank having at the base of said cup portion a shoulder corresponding and opposed to said insert shoulder, a spring washer separating said insert shoulder from said knob shank shoulder, a non-metallic knob having adjacent one end an annular recess and a shoulder portion at said end of said knob, the edge of said knob retaining cup having a shoulder engaging said shoulder in said knob and holding .the end portion of said knob in resilient frictional Contact against the end portion of said insert, said frictional contact of a magnitude sucient to hold said insert, knob, and washer against rotation relative to said knob shank, said magnitude remaining within the range whereby said knob will not be fractured. y

4. A knob and escutecheon assembly for actuation of a latch spindle, said assembly includingI a shank, a knob retaining cup lat one end of said shank, aninsert retained in said shank, a tubular neck portion extending to one side of said insert and a spindle engaging portion within said insert, said insert comprising a malleable metal, an escutcheon having a bearing through which said neck extends, the inner surface of said escutcheon having a friction reducing portion surrounding said bearing, a keeper comprising a bearing washer aliixed to a shoulder portion formed on said neck portion, said keeper rotatably bearing against said friction reducing portion on said escutcheon, a shoulder on said knob shank in fixed spaced relation to said keeper, said shoulder rotatably engaging said escutcheon bearing at a position opposed to said keeper engaging portion, a shoulder adjacent one end of said insert, said knob shank having at the base of said cup portion a shoulder corresponding and opposed to said insert shoulder, a spring Washer separating said insert shoulder from said knob shank shoulder, a non-metallic knob having adjacent one end an annular recess and a shoulder portion at said end of said knob, the edge of said knob retaining cup having Ya shoulder engaging said shoulder in said knob and holding the end 'portion' of Said knob inY resilient frictional contact against the end portion of said insert, said frictional contact of a niagnitude Suicient to hold said insert, knob, and washer against rotation relative to said knob shank, said magnitude remaining Within the range whereby said knob will not be fractured, said non-metallic knob comprising glass.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,530 Beauregard ....e Apr. 8, 1913 1,059,659 De Wolfe Apr. 22, 1913 2,676,049 Wurzel Apr. 20, 1954 

